From the Third Sector to the Big Society: How Changing UK Government Policies Have Eroded Third Sector Trust

Abstract

This paper draws on concepts of trust to analyse recent policies affecting public/third sector relationships, examining the parallel policy strands of competition, 'command and control' mechanisms and the community turn in shaping recent cultures of relationships. The paper draws on examples from two empirical studies in English inner-city areas to explore ways in which power and regulatory frameworks exerted through dominant organisational cultures and arrangements undermine the independent approaches to communication and action, necessary to develop innovative work and organisational learning within and across sectors.State bodies have behaved as though trust in their actions is a given, while increasingly shifting responsibilities for service delivery and risks of failure to others. Drawing on our research, we argue that the increase in market cultures and regulatory frameworks have damaged trust in cross-sector relationships, promoting divisive interests and riskaverse behaviours, restricting the autonomy, innovation and community action presumed in the Big Society agenda. We conclude by highlighting issues that need to be addressed to ensure the development of collaboration with community-based providers in the future including a focus on the processes and relational spaces which will enable positive alternatives.

Complying, Transforming or Resisting in the New Austerity? Realigning Social Welfare and Independent Action among English Voluntary Organisations

“…Within the VS, these schemas manifest themselves through contract criteria; increasingly detailed specifications and targets; required performance data; and the language and means through which they are communicated -ultimately the cultures of arrangements and behaviours through which organisational actors conform (Milbourne and Cushman, 2013). Such requirements demand forms of professionalisation, and standardisation and homogenisation of approaches, denominating activities in the currency of those governing rather than the governed.…”

Contextualising the coevolution of (dis)trust and control – a longitudinal case study of a public market

“…Cäker and Siverbo (2011) argue that control is affected by type of trust, but that trust can be unaffected by control. Milbourne and Cushman (2013) demonstrate how trust in public agencies is eroded among third sector providers due to use of competitive markets, control and lack of communication.…”

User co-production of public service delivery: Effects on trust

“…For users, aspects of bureaucratic control such as standardization hinder the input of additional activities, which may be needed to improve the service, or which may even be intrinsically desired by users (Bettencourt, 1997;Larsson and Bowen, 1989). Moreover, fixed-term funding on the basis of over-specified contracts tends to undermine the longterm trust between professional organizations and communities, disrupting the motivation and engagement of the latter to provide input in the service (Milbourne and Cushman, 2013). Thus, as a result of institutional pressures, there may be less space, time, and resources for users to fulfil their co-producer role.…”